Tire chain



May 22, 1923. M5181 R- W. EVANS TIRE CHAIN Filed Oct. 27 1921 Patented May 22, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT orr ceg RUDOLPH w. EVANS, OFT-HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

' TIRE CHAIN.

Application filed October 27, 1 921. Serial no. 510,762. g

new and useful Improvements in Tire Chains; of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to tire cha ns or anti-skid chains, an object thereof being to provide an improved means for connecting the cross chain with the side chains arranged at either side of the vehicle tire, the construction being such as to distribute substantially the entire pull or strain from thecross member or chain to the various parts of the connecting links of the side chains in such manner as to prevent the'same' from spreading and breaking;

Asa result of this invention,- animproved tire chain is provided, which will be more durable and serviceablein use and wherein thelifeaind use of the same may be prolonged material-1y;

further object of thisi'nventi'on 18 to provide an improved tire chain or anti-skid device having novel means for positively tending'to revent the turning of the cross QlliLlIl when great strain is exerted thereon,-particularly as mayoccur in cases where nt he vehicle skids and the pressure exerted upon" the cross chain tends to turn the same'over and cut into the tire.- p v Other" objects of this invention will appear in'the followingdescription thereof,

reference being had to the accompanylng' drawing" forming a part of this specification,

wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding. parts in the several views and 40 wherein Fi'ggl is: a fragmentary perspectiveview of a tire'illustratin'g a form of my-invention as applied in connecting the cross chains and side chains; Fig. 2 is a perspective" View in detail i-llustratingithe embodi-- m'ent shown in- Fig. 1; Fig. 3 aside" view partly in section: of the construction shown in-Fig. QxpFigA is-a detail perspective view of another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 'is-a detail side view partly in: section,

ot the construction shown in Fig. e'yFig. 6

is: a; detail perspeotive view of a furtherembodimentuof my invention;'F1g:g7 1s a dctai-l' side view partly in section, of the con strnctionk shown in Fig. 6; and Fig.8 is a detail' perspective view illustrating a still further embodiment of my invention-.

Heretofor'e in the construction of antiskid chains, it has been the commo ractice in connecting the cross members which pass overtheperiphery of the tire, to the side chains, located at the sidesof the tire, in

such mannerthat a single side portion of each connecting link-of the side chain will be subjected to the entire strain from the cross chain. This construction has been found disadvantageous by virtue of the factthat the connecting links tend to spread-or pull apart and breakwhen strain is placed upon the cross chain inuse. As a result of the present invention, these disadvantages are eliminated,- the essential feature thereof being toprovrd'emeans for connecting the cross chain to the side chain whereby the connecting link ofthe' side chain will not" spread or be broken in use. k 7 Referring particularly to Figs r,-;2,and 3 wherein I have illustrated a preferred form: of my inventionyit will be seenthat the anti-skid device comprises for example,- aside chain 10 consisting of a pluralityof articulated links 11' located at 'either'sid'e'of the tire 12. The side chains 10 at opposite sides of the tire are connected at spaced in-- tervals by means of the usual cross members or cross chains, which in preferred fornn as illustrated in: the present instance;- comprise a center link 18, a plurality of side" links 14 at either end thereof and nd hooks or hooked links 15, all thereof suitably connected togetherin a-rticulatedm'annerb As illustrated ertieularlyin Fig. 2, the end link 15 operatively connected to the opposed side portions 20 and 21 of the'con i necting link 11 bymea' ns'of ali nlel'd; which comprises a suitable looped portion 1-9',-t-h e ends thereof extending substa'ntijal ly' in thesame direction and being bent in suchman nor as to" embrace the side portion 213 It will be observed that the looped portion" 19 extends between the opposed sides 20 and 21 and that-the link lest its ends 18 is Bentuted between the side portions 20 and- 21 of the 'link" 1 1 by means of thelink-IG connecting such side portions together through the hooked or looped ends of the link 15.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the end hook or link'15 of the cross member is provided with the usual bent hooked ends 18 embracin directly the side portion 20 of the link 11. n this embodiment however, I have shown a direct instead of an indirect connection between the side portions 20 and '21 of the link 11, which comprises a link 22 having a looped or hooked portion 23 embracing the side portion 20, the bent ends 18 of the link being spaced to receive the link 22. At its opposite end this link is bent as at 24, thereby rigidly joining the side portions and 21 of the side link.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6,

the side parts 20 and 21 of the side link 11 are securely connect-ed together by means of a link preferably formed from sheet metal and bent around the link in such manner as a to form substantially a sleeve therefor. This link 25 at the opposed sides thereof is pro-' vided with registering apertures26 and 27,.

through which the ends 18 of the end link 15 may be passed, and thereafter bent back as shown in Fig. 7.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 I

have illustrated a simple manner of trans-- mittingor distributing thestrain from the cross member to all of the main parts of the side, link 11, thereby preventing, the same from spreading and breaking. In this instance, the side member 28 is of the usual length and bent to embrace the side 20 of the link 11. On the other-hand, the opposed a side member 30 of this end link 15, is formed to extend beyond the end 29 between the side portions of the side link, the same being bent under and over the side 21 thereby connecting by a single integral structure the opposed sides of the side link 11.

It has been found in practice that the cross chains during use often have a tendency to turn over particularly when thevehicle skids,vbut I have found, by virtue of 1 namely,the prevention of the side connecting links from breaking and also the elimination to a considerable extent of the tendency of the cross members to turn from a flat position.

Furthermore, it will be preceived that I:

have provided an anti-skid device wherein the means of connection between the cross chain and the side chains has double the strength, durability, and life as in the case of devices heretofore constructed. Furthermore, in use, if the link 16, 22 01'25. should possibly break the endlink 15 would still be connected to the side link 11 in the same manner as heretofore, and with equal strength and effectiveness as hereto-fore.

Although I have described my invention in its preferred form, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the construetion herein shown and described, but may make any changes within the scope of the.

appended claims.

I claim as my invention: i i 1. Au anti-skid device comprising. aside link for a side chain, and an endlink for a cross member, said end link operatively,

embracing a side portion of the side link, I

and means embracing the companionfside,

portion thereof for preventing the side portions of the side link from spreading, said means having connection to the opposite side portion through the medium only ofv said end link.

2. An anti-skid device comprising a side.

link for a side chain, and an end link for a I cross member, and means formed independent of the side link for operatively connecting the end link tothe opposed side por-v tions of said side link, whereby the pull. of

the cross member will be so distributed as 1 to resist the spreading of the side portions, said means extending and terminating between the side-portions of'one of saidlinks;

3. An anti-skid device comprising a side link for a side chain, and an end link for a cross member connected together, said side link having independent connecting means between the side portions thereof constructed to resist the tendency of the side.-

portions to spread, said means terminatingentirely between the sideportions of one of said links. i v

4;. An anti-skid device comprising aside link for a side chain,'and an end link for a cross member, said end link having a part;

thereof bent to receive a, side-portion of said side link, and means formed independent of the side link and located beyond said side portions for resisting thetendency of the cross member to turn during use.

5. An anti-skid device comprisinga side link for a side chainand an end link for-a cross member, said end link having a hooked end portion engaging one-side of said side link, and a link engaging the opposed side of said side link andconnected to said first mentioned side through the medium only: of the link. 1-

6. In an anti-skid device, aside link havingopposed' side portions-,'a connectinglink located therebetween' and embracing one side:

portion, and an end link for a cross member,"

said end linkand other side portionbeing operatively interconnected, and said y com.

necting link terminating entirely between the side portions of one of said other links.

7 In an anti-skid device, a side link hav ing opposed sideportions, a connecting link located therebetween and connected to one side portion, and an end linkfor a cross member, said end link operatively embracing both said other side portion and said connecting link, and the latter terminating entirely between the side portions of the side link.

8. An anti-skid device comprising a cross chain link a side chain link, a connecting link located between the sides of said side chain link and embracing one of said sides and also constructed to form a flexible connecting means, said cross chain link being bent to operatively interconnect therewith said other side and said connecting link.

9. An anti-skid device comprising a cross chain link, a side chain link, a connecting link located between the side portions of said side chain link, said connecting link having the free ends thereof bent to embrace the same side portion of said side chain link and having a loop portion juxtaposed to said other side portion, said cross chain link being bent to embrace both said loop portion and said last mentioned side portion. p r '10. An anti-skid device comprising a side chain and a cross member having an end link connected thereto, and means extending beyond said connection for resisting the tendency of said cross chain to turn during use, said means comprising a link connecting the end link and side chain.

11. An anti-skid device comprising a side chain having a side link and a cross member having an end link connected thereto and means for resisting the tendency of thecross chain to turn during use and comprising a link connecting a side portion of said side link with the end link. p

12. An anti-skid device comprising a side chain and a crosschain, and means for conmeeting the same together, said means comprising a pair of articulated links bent to embrace each aside portion only of said side chain.

Signed at 1822 Park Row Building, New York, N. Y., this 20th day of October 1921.

, RUDOLPH W. EVANS. 

